Finger Connecting Flute Attachment

Abstract

The instant invention relates to new attachments for the round tubular body of flutes. It firmly, but easily and removably, affixes the flute to the player's left index finger (and / or thumb) so that the flute is stabilized without pressure on the player's lower lip. Thus, it enhances the flexibility of the player's lips so as to more perfectly play the flute while also more exactly and repeatedly locating the player's fingers on the flute, while preventing inadvertent rotation of the flute. This is especially beneficial for the player's lower lip, which, under extant art, is forcibly pinned against the lower teeth and gums so as to stabilize the flute. This benefit is achieved by completely stabilizing the flute in the player's hands by firmly connecting the flute to the player's finger (and / or thumb) with a finger retainer incorporating an opening through which the flute player's left index finger (and / or thumb) is inserted, like wearing a ring.In the preferred embodiment, the finger retainer is a ring-like structure built into the flute-finger connector and for economy this system is hereafter referred to as a ring. The use of a ring provides a firm connection between the player's fingers, the flute-finger connector and the flute permitting the left index finger and right thumb to completely stabilize the instrument with no pressure on the player's lips whatsoever, while completely preventing inadvertent rotation of the flute.One benefit of the instant invention over extant art is its flexibility with respect to the types of flutes it may be connected to. In one embodiment, attachment to the flute body is by an extraneous, extant, devices, such as cable ties, hook and loop, etc., which are adjustable and flexible so as to permit attachment of the device to tubular body flutes of widely varying cross-sectional dimensions, such as alto, bass, piccolo and treble flutes, as well as the more common C flute. Thus, a player could invest substantially in a device made of high-quality material, such gold with precious stones, assured of their ability to easily move it from flute to flute and between any number of different types of flutes.A second benefit of the instant invention over extant art is that a player can use it without altering their hand position from how they would play the flute without the device. The absence of any pad between the ring and the body of the flute means that the player's left hand index finger rests directly on the body of the flute, exactly the same as it would rest on the flute absent the invention. Thus, this invention requires no adjustment to the player's style of playing whatsoever, except that it enhances the stability of the flute and allows it to be played with any amount of pressure on the player's lower lip, including none.Another very substantial benefit of the instant invention over extant art is that it allows the flute to be safely played by growing children without fear of distorting the proper development of their gums and teeth. Many parents permit their children to start their music education only with a piano or a stringed-instrument because wind instruments have a tendency to put severe stress and strain on the mouth, teeth and gums, which can distort their development. Because the instant invention permits, even encourages, use of the flute without strong, or even any, pressure on the teeth and gums, a flute so equipped can be used even by young children without orthodontia concerns.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefits and priority of Provisional Patent Application 62 / 446,407, filed at 16:25:14 EST on 14 Jan. 2017, by the present inventor, which is incorporated by reference.FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH[0002]None.SEQUENCE LISTING[0003]None.BACKGROUND ART[0004]A recurring problem in playing the flute is the awkward positioning required of the hands and fingers for proper control and operation of the musical instrument, which has an innate tendency to roll because of imbalance from the weight of the keys and other parts of the flute's operating system. Because the player must rapidly shift fingerings between all keys of the flute being depressed to some or all keys being open, producing radically changing support of the flute from the player's fingers, the stability of the flute is imperiled. This instability is reflected both in the difficulty of maintaining the ideal relation between the lips and the flute so as to pr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides new attachments for the tubular body of flutes that allow for stable flute play without excessive pressure on the player's lower lip. The attachments allow for complex fingering changes and can be used without altering the player's technique. The flute-finger connector provides a removable attachment part that encircles the flute body with a clip, which enables stable attachment without interfering with the instrument's normal operation. The finger retainer makes it easy for the left hand index finger to perform its multiple functions while providing great stability and resistance to inadvertent rotation of the flute. The attachment can be made with integral pinch-type clamps or with extraneous, adjustable-length attachments like cable ties, hook and loop straps, or elastic bands. The spacing bars of the device can be adjusted to accommodate a wide variety of configurations, and the wire ties or other attachment points can be used with different types of transverse instruments. The invention allows for easy transfer of the attachment between different types of instruments and makes it easy for players to experiment with different key configurations.

Problems solved by technology

A recurring problem in playing the flute is the awkward positioning required of the hands and fingers for proper control and operation of the musical instrument, which has an innate tendency to roll because of imbalance from the weight of the keys and other parts of the flute's operating system.

Because the player must rapidly shift fingerings between all keys of the flute being depressed to some or all keys being open, producing radically changing support of the flute from the player's fingers, the stability of the flute is imperiled.

This instability is reflected both in the difficulty of maintaining the ideal relation between the lips and the flute so as to produce the most perfectly formed notes and in the difficulty of changing fingerings quickly and reliably while also preventing the flute's rolling away from its ideal position.

Maintaining such substantial, constant, balanced, stabilizing pressure, given the rapid and extreme variations in support provided by the player's fingers as different notes are played, is problematic and not always successfully accomplished, leading to the flute rolling about, and incorrect and / or poor quality notes being played.

None of these prescriptions serve other than to reduce the flute's instability a bit, and a serious drawback of current flute playing techniques and all extant prescriptions for mitigating this difficulty is the need for substantial pressure to be exerted by the flute's mouthpiece against the player's lower lip.

Such hand positions evidence several problems.

First, they require an awkward and unnatural positioning of the thumb.

Second, such hand positions require substantial steady pressure, which is difficult to maintain when moving the other fingers of the right hand, and which is exacerbated by the fatiguing hand position noted above.

Third, the substantial pressure against the base of finger of the left hand is painful and fatiguing after a time, both limiting continuous practice and performance time and being a cause of playing errors.

Fourth, and most problematic, such hand positions rely upon even greater pressure being applied by the flute to the player's lower lip, limiting the flexibility of the lips to shape and form notes in the most ideal way, which is especially problematic given the need of a flute player to widely, flexibly and quickly alter the shape of their lips, their embouchure, to best play all of the notes of the flute.

Many parents permit their children to start their music education only with a piano or a stringed-instrument because wind instruments generally put severe stress and strain on the mouth, teeth and gums, which can distort their development.

However, this device only helps to create some additional friction between the player's hand and the flute, but does not serve to fix that relation in any definite or necessary way, and neither does it reduce substantially the pressure against the player's lower lip needed to stabilize the flute.

Additionally, Tanabe's device does not establish the consistent placement of the player's hand in relation to the flute because it is not fixed to the flute, but only to the player's hands.

While both devices assist in proper placement of the hands, and in permitting better playing, neither addresses the inherent instability of the flute caused by the various shifting fingerings and the lack of secure connection between the player and the flute which results in the flute rolling about as the player changes fingerings to produce various notes.

This differs materially from the instant invention in that it does nothing to address the issue of extant flutes' lack of such support because it does not provide for a stand-alone ring attachment device that can be removably affixed to existing flutes.

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